Matthew Baldacchino, Youth Community Officer & Director for Health at KNŻ, EU Climate Pact Ambassador, and a medical doctor, recently returned from the World Health Summit in Berlin, where he was part of the International Youth Health Organisation (IYHO) delegation.
Reflecting on his time there, Dr Baldacchino shared with WhosWho.mt key moments and insights that left a lasting impression on him, particularly the inspiring interactions with global health leaders and youth advocates.
When asked about the most inspiring moment of the summit, Dr Baldacchino recalls that meeting other youth activists and seeing how they implement their projects was "incredibly inspiring”.
One moment that stood out to him was witnessing WHO Director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus speak candidly about "the horrors of the Palestinian genocide."
“Hearing his stories, especially his own experiences with war and conflict, showed me the kind of global health activist we all have the potential to be,” Dr Baldacchino shared.
“In his words, ‘there can be no health without peace, and there can be no peace without health’” he added.
Representing KNŻ Malta, a full member of the International Youth Health Organisation, Dr Baldacchino felt the responsibility to highlight Malta’s unique position as an island nation within the European Union.
“Such summits tend to be dominated by an overly westernised view of medicine, and there is a tendency to assume a total EU homogeneity. However, we are all different people and nations, and it’s in that difference that we can learn and grow,” he stated.
One particularly memorable interaction for Dr Baldacchino was meeting Obiageli Ezekwesili, a co-founder of Transparency International. “Listening to her talk about the issue of trust in healthcare was stunning,” he reflected, and added that she commanded the entire panel, addressing corruption in healthcare at all levels - "a welcomed shakeup to the discussion.”
Dr Baldacchino was impressed by her candidness, particularly when she remarked, “This distrust [in democracy] is creating a problem because we need trust for the basic functioning of society […] so if this is the situation we find ourselves in, what does it mean for health?”
As for bringing lessons back to Malta, Dr Baldacchino is keen to see the WHO Youth Declaration on Creating Healthier Societies gain traction.
The Declaration, which addresses health education and literacy, sustainable healthcare, and youth leadership, offers a blueprint for collaborative action that he believes could have a significant impact in Malta. “We as a nation have a lot to take away from it,” he noted, encouraging governments and private sectors to engage with its insights.
Dr Baldacchino’s experience at the World Health Summit highlights the importance of youth leadership and the necessity of trust in healthcare—a message he is eager to amplify back home in Malta.
Main Image:Matthew Baldacchino / LinkedIn
